I thought AP was going to be traded early on and now I'm certain he will be here, at least for this season anyway. Zimmer say's he's going to play for us or nobody. Really like this coach. He tells it like it is.

AP say's this "hold-out" is all about buisness but his agent keeps talking trash, while trying to fatten up his wallet. If he has to play here or not play, of course he's going to play. A guy with that many kids and X-girlfriends to support has to play, or he won't have many expensive birthday party's like his last one. If he don't play, instead of riding a camel with a goofy suit on, he'l be riding a cab to a variety of counties to pay child support from his remmaing millions,

I wonder if the Vikings will be giving him "incentive" money instead of guaranteed cash. I can't see giving this guy a guaranteed contract given that he has sat out a year and a attitude problem. good luck.

I understand where AP is coming from in wanting to obtain as much security in his contract as possible. I'm sure he sees the big contract numbers and realizes he's getting older and knows its not likely he'll see the end of this contract with the Vikings. He's just trying to get as much security and as much guaranteed money as possible.

However, the man is completely clueless when it comes to negotiations. Usually you try to approach an negotiation from a position of strength so that you have some leverage. Right now he has NONE. He thinks that coming off a missed season where we was suspended for child abuse is the right time to start playing hard ball, he's either dumb or getting some terrible advice, possibly both.

He should just shut his mouth, play this season like a man possessed and then after the stink from his suspension has faded and the highlights from a great season are fresh in the minds of fans and coaches then he could approach the team about some more security. He could probably get them to guarantee more of his contract if he agrees to a lower dollar amount with more cap friendly numbers. But the more noise he makes now and the more bad blood he creates it only hurts his future negotiating power with the vikings and probably every other team in the NFL.

A new contract works for both sides here. No way AP is worth $15M next year or $17M the year after that, even it isn't guaranteed. And since it is not guarnteed, AP could lose it all if he gets injured. So it is a positive for both sides to eventually redo the contract.

Likely, the way the Vikes are looking at it, AP is sour in the public opinion area right now. So, make him play, and play well, win back some support of the public, then strike a new deal.

AP is looking for guaranteed money, the Vikes are looking for less per year $$$'s that is more cap friendly. So negociate, probably a 3-4 year contract worth somewhere around $8M-$9M per year w/ a $20M to $25M guaranteed signing bonus. And at that point if he is playing well, public outcry for rewarding a child abuser will be lessened.

In the end, AP put himself in this position, he has to live with the outcome. And there is no way he gives up close to $13M to play this year.

Just enough yards to sway public opinion, and resulting wins, then the Vikes and AP can renegociate his contract to make it more cap friendly for the Vikes and more guaranteed for AP, and that won't be a public outcry.

AP has shown he is not the sharpest tool in shed repeatedly over this whole situation. The last one being that had he showed up for OTA's from the beginning he would have made an extra $250k, but instead sat out the first 3 in protest...over money...!